The goal of today's healthcare organizations' information systems is open, interoperable, standards-compliant and secure information systems. As electronic data interchange (EDI) continues to gain acceptance and use, risks of protection of the confidentiality of private healthcare information have arisen. As the volume of stored healthcare information continues to grow, so too does the desire to access that information. Insurers, employers, government papers, utilization review entities, researchers, government statisticians, peer-review bodies, and patients are all demonstrating an increased interest in healthcare information. There are some very real challenges implicit in electronic communications too which pose a further risk to the confidentiality of healthcare information.